Chapter 2

That evening, the Rivers family held a small gathering at home.

On the surface, it was a family gathering. In reality, it was a welcome party for Aaron Cooper, the Cooper family’s little heir and my future fiancé.

Aaron was eight years old and looked like a little prince.

He had a cold personality and always wore a stern expression, ignoring everyone around him.

However, whenever he saw me, a trace of warmth softened his icy face.

He carried an exquisite box over to me and opened it.

Inside was a crystal music box carved with an elegant ballerina. It was a globally limited-edition collector’s item.

“It’s for you.” His words were brief and to the point.

Before I could reach for it, Maya’s eyes lit up beside me, and she gasped.

“Wow! It’s Swan’s Dream! Mommy said this music box is so rare that even money can’t buy it!”

She stared at me enviously, as if she wanted to pounce on me and snatch it away.

I sneered inwardly but happily clapped my hands.

“Pretty! I like it!”

Aaron placed the music box on the table in front of me and said simply, “I’m glad you like it.”

The adults chatted in the living room, while my mother asked me to take Aaron and Maya to my toy room.

My toy room covered more than two thousand square feet and was packed with all kinds of toys. It was practically a miniature amusement park.

The moment Maya entered, the toys dazzled her so much that her mouth fell open.

She touched one toy, then hugged another. The greed in her eyes nearly spilled over.

Aaron had no interest in my childish toys.

He remained off to the side, silently watching me construct things with my blocks.

A servant brought in snacks and fruit juice midway through our playtime.

I was completely focused on building my castle when the system suddenly sounded an alarm.

[Host, pay attention! The villain is stealing your gift!]

I looked up and saw Maya sneakily stuffing the Swan’s Dream music box into her little crossbody bag.

She then took out a cheap plastic music box and carefully placed it where the original had been.

Afterward, she nervously glanced at Aaron and me.

She only relaxed when she saw that neither of us noticed her.

She patted her bag and smiled smugly.

I lowered my head and continued building with my blocks, pretending that I had seen nothing.

Not long afterward, Mandy walked in with a bright smile.

“How are you children enjoying yourselves? Maya, don’t you love music boxes?

“Come and look at your cousin’s. Isn’t it prettier than all the ones you have?”

Mandy deliberately directed everyone’s attention to the music box, hoping I would mistake the cheap plastic one for Aaron’s gift. That way, everyone could laugh at me for treating a worthless toy like a priceless treasure.

Maya cooperated immediately.

She ran over, picked up the plastic music box, and exclaimed with fake excitement.

“Wow, this music box is so pretty too! Yuna, do you want to trade?”

Mandy covered her mouth as she giggled. “Maya, stop fooling around. That music box is a gift from Aaron. How could you ask her to trade it so casually?”

I put down my blocks and slowly climbed to my feet.

Under their smug gazes, I ignored the plastic toy and walked straight toward Maya.

Maya instinctively took a step back and hurriedly shielded her bag.

“W-What are you doing?”

Without saying a word, I yanked her bag off her shoulder and pulled open the zipper.

In front of everyone, I tipped out the crystal music box inside.

“Mine!” I said in my childish voice, enunciating the word clearly.

Then I grabbed the plastic music box from the floor and hurled it at Mandy’s feet with all my strength.

The plastic casing shattered, releasing a harsh, grating noise.

“She took mine! Bad!”

The room fell silent.

Mandy’s smile froze on her face. Her expression shifted rapidly from shock to panic to fury.

Maya burst into tears with a loud wail.

Aaron, who had not said a word until then, stood up.

He stared coldly at the mother and daughter, his eyes filled with disgust.

“The Rivers family’s upbringing is truly an eye-opener.”

My mother hurried over when she heard the commotion. Her expression darkened when she saw the mess covering the floor.

“What happened?”

Aaron pointed at the crystal music box on the floor and the sobbing Maya.

His answer was brief and direct.

“She stole it.”

My mother understood immediately. She glanced at Mandy, whose face had gone ashen, then called over the guards.

“Search her.”

Mandy still tried to argue. “Diana! She’s only a child. She doesn’t know any better. Maybe she just picked up the wrong one…”

“Picked up the wrong one?”

My mother let out a cold laugh.

“Then why was the fake music box in her bag? She deliberately switched it with the real one.”

The guards ignored Mandy and immediately searched Maya.

Before long, they found a diamond bracelet in Maya’s pocket. It was the bracelet my mother had put on me earlier that day.

She had been caught red-handed.

Mandy’s face turned beet red.

She had never expected her daughter to steal the music box and take something else while she was at it.

This time, the evidence left Mandy with no way to excuse Maya’s actions as a simple mistake.

My father walked over with a grim expression. He was so furious that he could not speak for a moment.

“Mandy, this is the daughter you raised!”

Mandy dropped to her knees, wrapped her arms around my father’s leg, and cried out.

“Michael, I was wrong! I didn’t raise her properly! Please forgive us this once!”

I watched her hypocritical performance and found it laughable.

This little trick was only the opening act.

The real game had just begun.